Eliminated Sox pummel Indians

10/2/2012

CLEVELAND — Rookie Hector Santiago allowed just one hit in seven shutout innings as the Chicago White Sox briefly kept their playoff hopes alive with an 11-0 win over the Indians on Monday night.

About an hour after the game ended at Progressive Field, the White Sox were eliminated from the playoffs when the Tigers beat the Royals.

Santiago (4-1), who began the season as Chicago's closer, struck out a season-high 10. The Indians' only hit off the left-hander was Shin-Soo Choo's two-out single in the third.

The White Sox scored four runs in the sixth off Corey Kluber (2-5) and added six in the ninth to end any doubt.

Dayan Viciedo hit his first career grand slam in the ninth to make it 11-0.

After lining up and slapping high-fives in the infield, the White Sox headed to their clubhouse, hoping that the Tigers would squander a big lead over the Royals.

Santiago and Kluber were locked in a scoreless duel until the sixth, when the White Sox scored four runs on five hits — four coming with two outs.

Dewayne Wise bunted safely with one out and stole second with two outs before Adam Dunn snapped an 0-for-18 slump by lining a base hit to center. Kluber then walked Paul Konerko before Alex Rios ripped an RBI double off the left-field wall, scoring Dunn to make it 2-0 and forcing a pitching change.

A.J. Pierzynski followed with a grounder up the middle off reliever Joe Smith that went off diving second baseman Jason Kipnis' glove and into center field as Konerko scored. Viciedo's single then scored Rios to give the White Sox a 4-0 lead and chance to breathe a little easier.

Santiago was never threatened by the Indians, who managed just three baserunners off the left-hander. Cleveland did not get a runner to second base off Santiago, who won for the first time in five starts.

Dunn added an RBI single in the ninth to make it 6-0.

The White Sox didn't seem to be feeling any pressure before the game. Players sat in front of their lockers, tapping away at the screens of their iPads or watching TV as if it was June 1 and not Oct. 1 with their season hanging by a thread.

Chicago's players, who had spent 117 total days in first place, seemed resigned to their fate.

The Indians dropped to 2-2 under interim manager Sandy Alomar, Jr., who hopes to become Cleveland's permanent manager.